küll ... aga
Admittedly ... but
Ta on küll noor, aga väga tark. Küll admits the first point, and aga brings the one that matters more.
How It Works
Use küll … aga when you grant one point and then add another that outweighs it.
- Ta on küll noor, aga väga tark. (She may be young, but she is very clever.)
- Töö on küll raske, aga huvitav. (The work is hard, but interesting.)
Where küll goes. It usually comes right after the verb of the first part: Ta on küll …, Proovisin küll …. With a short adjective phrase it follows that word: Kurb küll, aga nii see on.
The second part. Start it with aga in everyday language, kuid in neutral or formal writing, or ent in literary style. A comma always comes before these words. You can add siiski or ikkagi (still): Olin küll väsinud, aga läksin siiski trenni.
Do not use vaid here. Vaid follows a negated part and replaces it or adds to it: Ta ei ole mitte noor, vaid vana.
Küll has other uses too. On its own it confirms (Jääb küll. = Yes, it will.), and küll … küll means sometimes … sometimes. It is the aga or kuid part that makes küll mean admittedly.
Examples (6)
- Ta on küll noor, aga väga tark.
She may be young, but she is very clever.
Küll admits the first point; aga brings the stronger one.
- Töö on küll raske, aga huvitav.
The work is hard, but interesting.
The second part can be a single word.
- Ilm oli küll külm, kuid lapsed mängisid terve päeva õues.
It was cold, but the children played outside all day.
Kuid is a little more formal than aga.
- Proovisin küll, aga see ei õnnestunud.
I did try, but it didn't work out.
Küll comes right after the verb.
- Korter on küll väike, aga see on kesklinnas.
The flat may be small, but it is in the city centre.
A typical way to weigh up pros and cons.
- Kurb küll, aga nii see on.
It's sad, but that's how it is.
A fixed short form where küll follows the adjective.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the comma before aga.
Ta on küll noor aga väga tark.Ta on küll noor, aga väga tark.A comma always comes before aga, kuid and ent when they join two contrasting parts.
Using vaid instead of aga.
Ta on küll noor, vaid väga tark.Ta on küll noor, aga väga tark.Vaid follows a negated part and replaces it or adds to it, as in mitte noor, vaid vana. After küll, use aga or kuid.
How It Connects
Learn This First
küll ... aga pairs a concession with aga.
Related Patterns
- kuigiAlthough (Kuigi)
Kuigi says the same thing with a subordinate clause: Kuigi ta on noor, on ta väga tark.
Level 3 - Yes to a Negative (küll)
Küll on its own confirms an answer.
Level 3 - ehkki / olgugi etFormal Although
More formal ways to concede a point.
Level 5 - Commas Before Clauses
The comma before aga and kuid.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice küll ... aga in Bubblegum
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